The negative association of low subjective socioeconomic status with future orientation: the protective role of low fatalism

Abstract

Abstract Background Subjective socioeconomic status (SES), an individual’s beliefs about his or her social class, is anticipated to be related to future orientation. This study proposed a moderation model to examine the relationship between subjective SES on future orientation and the protective role of low fatalism. Methods Two studies were conducted to test the proposed model. Specifically, in Study 1, the structured questionnaires were administered to a sample comprising 217 Chinese participants (192 females, M age = 18.24 ± 0.63). In Study 2, the structured questionnaires and an Imaginative Scenario Test were administered to collect data among 244 Chinese participants (167 females, M age = 18.44 ± 0.73). Regression analyses were used to explore the moderating role of fatalism in the association between subjective SES on future orientation. The Bootstrap methods were used to test the significance of these moderating effects. Results The results revealed two primary findings: (1) Fatalism moderated the pathway from subjective SES to future orientation. Specifically, low fatalism served as a protective factor, making low subjective SES less disruptive to their future orientation. (2) The moderating effect was primarily attributed to the “luck dimension”, which was the belief that luck plays a pivotal role in determining one’s fate. Conclusions The findings contribute to enriching the current understanding of the subjective SES on future orientation and the protective role of low fatalism.

Keywords

• Future orientation
• Socioeconomic status
• Fatalism
• Scarcity mindset